Senate CFO bills a boon to Jeff Atwater campaign

If Jeff Atwater's Senate has its way, the higher office he seeks will have unprecedented power over privatized prisons, billions of dollars in purchasing authority and the power to investigate Medicaid and food stamp fraud.

The bills to expand the post of Florida Chief Financial Officer all come from Senate President Atwater's chamber -- but that's just a coincidence, say Atwater and the senators sponsoring the legislation.

Atwater said he would have supported the proposals even if he were not running for CFO, a Cabinet-level post.

"I certainly did not suggest [to senators], 'Hey, anything you've got that might fit under the CFO's role, I have a particular interest in.' Not at all,'' Atwater said. "I did not weigh in.''

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